Clip-fastener.



PATENTED JULY 23,1907.

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CLIP FASTBNER.

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ATTORNEYS sition, and Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of CHARLES R. SMEAD, OF ST. PAUL, MINNSOTA.

CLIP-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

t Patented July 23, 1907.

Application led October 5,1906. Serial No. 337,565.

To all whom it 'may concern: l

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. SMEAD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota., have invented an Improved Clip-Fastener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to clip fasteners land is particularly useful in connection with devices of this character intended for use in connection with illes for letters, papers and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong-and durable clip fastener, by means of which the closing iiaps of a file may be securely attached one to the other, and which permits the le to be closed or opened by simple manipulation. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this class in which a guiding clip is pivotally mounted upon a file and is adapted to engage the edge of a closing flap, while a second or locking clip is similarly mounted upon the file, and is adapted to be forced upon the first clip to jam the same securely uponthe closing flap.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and directly set forth in the claims, and reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view'of a le showing my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fastener in a closed position; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the fastener showing the'locking clip in an open po- Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents a le for the preservation of letters, papers or other documents, and consisting of a body having end flaps and closing flaps 2 and 3 of the usual form. Near each corner of the outer closing flap 3 at the edge thereof is pivotally mounted a plate 4, which may be of metal, Celluloid or any other suitable material, and .which has an extension 5 folded back upon the plate to form a clip,

as appears most clearly in Fig. 3. At the folded edge the material of the clip is cut away forming a slot 6 and leaving folded portions 7 and 8 joining the body of the plate 4 and the folded extension 5. A similar plate 9 is pivotally mounted between the plate 4 and the flap 3 and has an extension 10 folded back upon the plate 9 to form a second or locking clip. The plates are pivotally mounted at the same point upon the closing flap 3 by means of a rivet 11. The locking clip is formed of spring or other metal having sufficient resiliency to maintain the folded extension 10 close to the plate 9. The extension 10 of the locking clip has its free end 12 laterally offset from the plate 9, and is provided at one .edge with a projecting toe 13 for a purpose which will appear hereafter.

To close the file the side flaps are folded together, as

shown in Fig. 1, the iiap 3 being on the outside. The iirst clip is then slipped upon the edge of the inner flap 2 and the locking clip is then forced upon the iirst clip, jamming the same upon the closing fiap 2. It will be understood that the first clip acts as a guide member for the locking clip, the metal forming this having sufficient spring to jam the first clip upon the fiap, thereby securing the two closing iiaps of the file one to the other. The material is cut away from the folded edge of the rst clip to permit the locking clip more easily to pass over the same. The remaining portions of the folded edge of the first clip are not flattened and thus form projections between which the extension 10 of the locking.

clip is located,` the to'e 13'of the extension engaging with one of the folded edge portions to resist accidental displacement of the locking clip. The offset portion 12 of the extension l0 is for the purpose of permitting the clip to be more easily grasped by the fingers of the user in opening the file, the corners 14 of the closing flap 3 being cut away to facilitate this.

It will be understood that it is unnecessary separately to force the clips upon the edge of the closing flap 2, but they may be allowed to remain one upon the other, as shown in Fig. 2, and to be forced simultaneously upon the edge of the closing flap 2, the first clip acting as a guide member for the locking clip. y

Normally, the clips work together. Thus when releasing, the toe 13 carries with it the under clip and when closing the offset end 12 of the extension 10 carries the under clip over the edge of the closing flap 2 whereupon the locking clip rides onto the under one and jams-it upon the flap. As the locking clip does not come into Contact with the flap, acting entirely upon the first clip, there is practically no wear of the paper forming the flap, while the locking action is nevertheless more eectively carried out than is possible with a single clip.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a clip adapted to be pivotally mounted upon a file and adapted removably to engage a closing ap of said le, and a locking clip adapted to be pivotally mounted upon said file and adapted to jam said first clip upon said closing flap.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a plate having an extension folded back upon the same to form a clip adapted removably to engage a closing nap of a file at an edge thereof, a locking clip adapted vto be forced upon said iirst clip to jam the same upon said closing flap, and means for pivotally mounting said clips upon said file.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a plate having an extension folded back upon the same to form a clip, a second plate having an extension folded back upon the same to form a lockingr clip, said plates having a rivet adapted pivotally to secure the said plates upon a file, said clip being adapted removably to engage a closing iiap of said le, said locking clip being adapted to be forced upon said first clip to jam the same upon said closing flap.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a plate having an extension folded back upon the same to form a clip, a second plate of spring metal or the like having an extension folded back upon the same to form a locking clip, said plates having a rivet adapted pivotally to secure the said plates upon a file, said clip being adapted removably to engage a closing iiap of said le, said locking clip being adapted to be forced upon said first clip to jam the same upon said closing ap. v 5. A device o f the class described, comprising a plate g 'having an extension foldedy back upon said plate to form a clip, a second plate having an extension folded back upon said second plate to form a locking clip, said plates being adapted to be pivotally mounted upon a file, said clip being adapted removably to engage a closing flap of said tile, said locking clip being adapted to be forced upon said rst clip to jam the same upon said closing flap, said iii-st clip being cut away at the folded edge to permit said locking clip more easily to pass over said edge.

G. A device of the class described, comprising a plate having an extension folded back upon said plate to form a edge portion of said rst clip.

clip, a second plate of spring metal or the like having au extension folded back upon said second plate to form a r locking clip, said plates being adapted to be pivotally mounted upon a file, Said clip being adapted removably to engage a closing ap of said file, said locking clip being adapted to be forced upon said iirst clip to jam the same upon' said closing Hap, said first clip being cut away at the folded edge to permit said locking clip more easily to vpass over said edge, said folded extension of said second plate having a free end laterally offset from said second plate, and being provided with a toe adapted to engage a folded In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES R. SMEAD. 

